One of the most fun things about Copic Markers is playing with hair and skin tones and textures. These stamps from La-La Land Crafts are perfect for that. And of course, I keep my Sandy Allnock Hex chart close at hand.
Do you know what lifts my spirits on a Saturday that started out too hot to enjoy any time outside, and ended with some pop-up summer thunderstorms? Coloring! Today I played with Copic Markers. Sometimes I just want to use Prismacolor Colored pencils. Sometimes I use watercolors. But taking the time to just sit and color today really made me feel happy. I colored outside of the lines sometimes, and when I put the denim texture on Luka, (he's the one in the blue cap, front row, second from the right) I used too much colorless blender and nearly had to start all over. But guess what? I had fun anyway. There's not one of these little critters that I can't pick up and pick apart. Some of my blending is too harsh, some of the colors I chose don't work very well together. But I just fell in love with each one as I colored them.
“Don't worry about being perfect. Just enjoy the process and relax.”
Every time La La Land Crafts comes out with a new "people" stamp I put it on my wish list. I even like to mix and match parts of different stamps to create unique new people that resemble my friends and family. Sometimes, they turn out just awful. But even when that happens, I learn something new about my coloring process. And I really enjoy myself. I feel the stress melt away. Because I'm not coloring to impress anyone. I'm just coloring to have fun. And I want to encourage you to do something you enjoy just for the simple pleasure of doing it.
Maybe you're a quilter, or a scrapbook enthusiast. Maybe you make cards or do oil paintings. Whatever you do, I hope you'll take the time to do it. I truly believe it's good for your soul. If whatever you create turns out well, give it to someone else. Spread that joy of creativity! A cheerful heart is good medicine. That's not just my idea, it's in Proverbs 17:22. So give yourself a dose of a cheerful heart and share it with someone who needs a little cheer. That's everyone, really. You never know what a hand-made, heart-felt gift will mean to someone.
Thanks for stopping by. Happy crafting!
Tami